Always be cognizant of how your response looks to others. Run it by a few tough critics before you send it to the media. The health club statement may have been refined or reworded if the club’s manager ran it by a few men and women. Maybe he did, but the critics’ voices weren’t strong enough. Yet another reason why you must make sure whoever reads your statement is comfortable giving a dissenting opinion.
Let me finish this chapter with a scandalous, titillating story that also provides a moral lesson. In the winter of 2007, a prominent anchor for a Philadelphia news station visited New York City for a weekend with her boyfriend. The anchor is sexy, beautiful, skinny and rich. Her boyfriend is a popular radio personality for a morning program in Philadelphia, and equally attractive.
During their visit, the anchor and her boyfriend got into a traffic dispute with another vehicle. When they stopped at a traffic light, the anchor’s boyfriend got out of the car and approached the other vehicle, allegedly telling the occupants to drive faster. According to police reports, the occupants told the power couple that they were undercover police officers.
That’s when, according to police reports, the anchor went ballistic.
“I don’t give a f--- who you are, I’m a f---ing TV reporter, you f----ing dyke,” the anchor allegedly shouted.
When it was all over, police accused the anchor of slapping an undercover police officer. It’s never a good idea to slap a stranger on the streets, shouting homophobic rants in a primarily gay area. It’s worse when the choice of your target happens to be an undercover police officer. Police quickly arrested the anchor and booked her on felony charges of assaulting a police officer, which could have put her behind bars for years.
By Monday morning, all of the tabloid newspapers were having a field day with the story, giving the anchor’s tirade front-page coverage. The Philadelphia television station was now fielding calls from the media, asking if management was going to fire the beautiful anchor. Making matters worse, the newspapers pointed out the anchor’s twice-divorced history. The media also reported on how she had emailed bikini-clad pictures of herself to a married man in the past. One newspaper was able to uncover how the anchor allegedly made calls to the Governor of Pennsylvania as soon as she got out of jail, adding even more quid pro quo questions to the story. Reporters now wanted to know if the anchor was trying to curry favor with the law by soliciting help from powerful men. For a woman who needs to be loved by viewers, the situation was quickly spiraling into a public relations nightmare for her image.
A lawyer for the anchor quickly sent out a statement, denying the charges. He said, “(She) never hit or ever said any derogatory comments to anyone.”
Her lawyer also described a different situation. He said the anchor was “accosted by several individuals wearing plainclothes. They attempted to grab her camera to prevent her from taking photographs of an altercation they (plainclothes people) were involved in. (The anchor) was shocked to learn after the fact that these individuals were police officers.”
New York City police officers are not always the friendliest group of people at two in the morning, so I could imagine how this event unfolded and quickly escalated into an argument, especially if any alcohol was involved. Regardless, the anchor could have managed this negative press better by speaking publicly with just one news organization. A lawyer sending out a statement gives the impression that this anchor is trying to buy her way out of the problem. Yes, high-powered lawyers can help most people, but this was a battle of public image. By speaking directly to the public, the anchor could have given her side of the story. And by giving one reporter the exclusive, the anchor wouldn’t have faced a pack of hungry journalists.
Less than a month after this story made headlines, the anchor was fired from her job in local television news. The General Manager of the station released a statement, saying he had “concluded it would be impossible for (her) to continue to report the news as she, herself, has become the focus of so many news stories.”
I’m sure the anchor had many friends within local law enforcement who could have spoken on her behalf and boosted her image within the community. The anchor could have encouraged law enforcement officers to call reporters who were covering her story. The police officers could have vouched for the anchor’s character and temperament, telling reporters she was always professional with them and respected the law. They also could have given the appearance that many professionals inside of law enforcement supported her.
Many people in the gay community were also offended by the anchor’s alleged homophobic comments. Again, the anchor should have had several friends from the gay community call those same reporters, saying they’ve never known her to be homophobic or racist against anyone. Perhaps, they could have cited examples in which she supported their organizations. A few credible sources vouching for the anchor’s temperament could have lessoned the tension in these stories.
Finally, the anchor could have enlightened public empathy to the situation by directly describing the situation she saw. She could have said in her own words why she was afraid these men in plain clothes were about to harm her boyfriend, and that’s why she pulled out her camera phone to document the situation for police. If the anchor did say the alleged derogatory remarks, she should have expressed contrition, saying she was scared and wrong to say such a thing in a moment of fear and anger. But, she never should have used this time to accuse the police officers of any misdoings. Instead, the anchor should have focused her response on the positive, saying she respects all police officers because they put their lives at risk everyday. She also could have made light of the situation by saying she should have listened to her grandmother who always said, “No good thing ever happens after 2am.”
For more tips on how to spin the news into your favor, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Drafting a Statement
In the fall of 1997, I pursued a hidden camera investigation on the airline industry. The story, which aired on the nationally syndicated television program American Journal, looked at how children were being cared for when they traveled alone on planes during the busy holiday season. Many parents spend extra money for a flight attendant to chaperone a child between flights, and this hidden camera investigation put these airline programs to the test.
As expected, a few airlines didn’t let the children out of their sight. The kids were watched closely between flights, and some children were even placed in a private room away from the public. They did a magnificent job of caring for the airline’s most precious cargo. But one airline, made a tragic mistake and it was all documented on videotape.
That airline left the child alone. Making matters worse, the child was able to walk off with another person at the airport. The entire time, the flight attendant assigned to the child was busy helping other customers, paying no attention to the unaccompanied child.
That airline refused to talk on camera. Instead, it sent a written response, accusing American Journal of making up a story and sensationalizing the problem. This was not a good statement because my story contained several children who told horror stories of how they were left alone in strange cities. The children described in their innocent, high-pitched voices how they were afraid when they were by themselves in foreign cities.
The airline’s statement made it look out of touch with the people. In addition, viewers watching this program were accustomed to this kind of undercover journalism, so the statement derailed any empathy viewers may have had for the airline industry. The statement essentially ridiculed viewers for watching American Journal.
If you do determine your business is better off by not responding to a reporter’s inquiry, don’t ever say, “no comment.” It will only make you look guilty. Instead, learn how to say no by saying yes. In some cases, you can agree to an interview with a newspaper reporter or television producer by setting conditions that are impossible to meet.
For example, many smaller and medium sized television stations have limited resources. They don’t have the ability to shoot interviews at night or on weekends. The few crews assigned to the weekend or night shifts are typically dedicated to those weekend or late night newscasts.
Many television stations will discourage a producer from pursuing an interview that is more than two hours away by car. If the response is crucial to a story, many news managers will find a way to accommodate the shoot, but if the interview is nothing more than a 20-second sound bite, the station will prefer a written statement. It lowers the station’s cost for a news story and it makes the story easier to produce.
If you agree to an interview in a nearby town or on a weekend, and the station decides it can’t shoot the interview, the reporter can no longer say you refused to talk on camera. This subtle element will also make you look less guilty in the court of public opinion.
Other ways you can say no to an interview include: agreeing to talk on camera without narrowing down the logistics. It’s possible to say yes to an interview, without being able to agree on a time frame or location. We all know many busy executives have conflicting scheduling issues. This tactic will only work on stories that have a tight deadline and a pending air date.
For more on how to draft a written statement for the media, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
As expected, a few airlines didn’t let the children out of their sight. The kids were watched closely between flights, and some children were even placed in a private room away from the public. They did a magnificent job of caring for the airline’s most precious cargo. But one airline, made a tragic mistake and it was all documented on videotape.
That airline left the child alone. Making matters worse, the child was able to walk off with another person at the airport. The entire time, the flight attendant assigned to the child was busy helping other customers, paying no attention to the unaccompanied child.
That airline refused to talk on camera. Instead, it sent a written response, accusing American Journal of making up a story and sensationalizing the problem. This was not a good statement because my story contained several children who told horror stories of how they were left alone in strange cities. The children described in their innocent, high-pitched voices how they were afraid when they were by themselves in foreign cities.
The airline’s statement made it look out of touch with the people. In addition, viewers watching this program were accustomed to this kind of undercover journalism, so the statement derailed any empathy viewers may have had for the airline industry. The statement essentially ridiculed viewers for watching American Journal.
If you do determine your business is better off by not responding to a reporter’s inquiry, don’t ever say, “no comment.” It will only make you look guilty. Instead, learn how to say no by saying yes. In some cases, you can agree to an interview with a newspaper reporter or television producer by setting conditions that are impossible to meet.
For example, many smaller and medium sized television stations have limited resources. They don’t have the ability to shoot interviews at night or on weekends. The few crews assigned to the weekend or night shifts are typically dedicated to those weekend or late night newscasts.
Many television stations will discourage a producer from pursuing an interview that is more than two hours away by car. If the response is crucial to a story, many news managers will find a way to accommodate the shoot, but if the interview is nothing more than a 20-second sound bite, the station will prefer a written statement. It lowers the station’s cost for a news story and it makes the story easier to produce.
If you agree to an interview in a nearby town or on a weekend, and the station decides it can’t shoot the interview, the reporter can no longer say you refused to talk on camera. This subtle element will also make you look less guilty in the court of public opinion.
Other ways you can say no to an interview include: agreeing to talk on camera without narrowing down the logistics. It’s possible to say yes to an interview, without being able to agree on a time frame or location. We all know many busy executives have conflicting scheduling issues. This tactic will only work on stories that have a tight deadline and a pending air date.
For more on how to draft a written statement for the media, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
A Crisis Communications Situation
In December 2007, a story circulated in the newspapers involving a man who was suing a Las Vegas Athletic Club for gender discrimination. The 45-year-old man filed a complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission, alleging the health club was giving special discounts to women, which he claimed was illegal under state law. The story held larger ramifications across the state of Nevada. The complaint had the potential to end all “Ladies Nights” at bars and nightclubs that offered free drinks to women as a way of luring them into their bars.
The gym member made a decent argument when talking to reporters.
“Imagine a whites-only country club or whites-get-in-free deal or something like that,” the gym member said. “When things are based on race, we have kind of a knee-jerk reaction because we’ve had poor race relations in America for 400 years now. But when it comes to treating people the same based on sex, that’s much more recent in our memory.”
The gym member made a logical argument that most men would probably support. He simply wanted the same membership price that his wife paid. The gym should have quietly given him the price break, and the problem would have gone away. Instead, a manager at the health club refused the discount and resentment began to brew within the disgruntled customer. Now, the health club had to deal with national negative exposure that could potentially alter the pricing structure for all bars and nightclubs in Nevada. The owner of that gym made many enemies with just one refusal. And to think it all would have gone away with just one small discount.
The health club could have diffused the tension by saying they were trying a new marketing approach to get more women into their health club. Management could have said they were reviewing the policy to see if the pricing structure was equitable for men and women. The club could have said they were researching a similar discount that appealed just to men, like discounts on weight trainers. Instead, the health club took a combative approach and attacked the alleged victim in the press. This is the club’s statement as published in the New York Times.
“Our men are very, very happy with how we conduct our business,” the vice president of the company said. “This particular person is the only one who has had a problem with it. There are legitimate discrimination issues out there, and I wish he’d spend his time addressing those that really need addressing.”
How do you feel reading that statement? After reading how the health club tried to demonize the complainant, I want to side with the customer over the health club. I don’t want to pay more than women for a gym membership. Subconsciously, it’s a David versus Goliath battle. One man had the strength to take on a large company over principal, and most people will rally for the little guy in those types of situations. There was no reason to demonize this customer in the public domain. The statement practically forces you to choose sides, which is never a safe approach when your reputation is at stake. You don’t want to give people an opportunity to root against you.
For more tips on how to spin the news into your favor, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
The gym member made a decent argument when talking to reporters.
“Imagine a whites-only country club or whites-get-in-free deal or something like that,” the gym member said. “When things are based on race, we have kind of a knee-jerk reaction because we’ve had poor race relations in America for 400 years now. But when it comes to treating people the same based on sex, that’s much more recent in our memory.”
The gym member made a logical argument that most men would probably support. He simply wanted the same membership price that his wife paid. The gym should have quietly given him the price break, and the problem would have gone away. Instead, a manager at the health club refused the discount and resentment began to brew within the disgruntled customer. Now, the health club had to deal with national negative exposure that could potentially alter the pricing structure for all bars and nightclubs in Nevada. The owner of that gym made many enemies with just one refusal. And to think it all would have gone away with just one small discount.
The health club could have diffused the tension by saying they were trying a new marketing approach to get more women into their health club. Management could have said they were reviewing the policy to see if the pricing structure was equitable for men and women. The club could have said they were researching a similar discount that appealed just to men, like discounts on weight trainers. Instead, the health club took a combative approach and attacked the alleged victim in the press. This is the club’s statement as published in the New York Times.
“Our men are very, very happy with how we conduct our business,” the vice president of the company said. “This particular person is the only one who has had a problem with it. There are legitimate discrimination issues out there, and I wish he’d spend his time addressing those that really need addressing.”
How do you feel reading that statement? After reading how the health club tried to demonize the complainant, I want to side with the customer over the health club. I don’t want to pay more than women for a gym membership. Subconsciously, it’s a David versus Goliath battle. One man had the strength to take on a large company over principal, and most people will rally for the little guy in those types of situations. There was no reason to demonize this customer in the public domain. The statement practically forces you to choose sides, which is never a safe approach when your reputation is at stake. You don’t want to give people an opportunity to root against you.
For more tips on how to spin the news into your favor, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
When to Talk to Reporters
Every reporter will ask for a sit-down interview to get your side of the story, but is there ever a time when you should flatly reject the interview with a reporter or producer? Yes, though the window is small. Here are a few parameters I have set that might help you determine whether an interview with the media will be good or bad for your image.
When You Should Say No to an Interview with a Reporter.
1) You are guilty.
2) You or your business will continue engaging in this controversial behavior.
3) You have not learned anything from this situation.
4) Anything you say will make you sound guilty.
5) You can’t find anything positive to say about the situation.
If you answered yes to these five questions, you may be better off defending yourself with a written statement. It’s okay to make a mistake as long as you learn from it. However, if your business will continue with the controversial practice, your defense gets weaker. If you didn’t learn anything from the situation, you will definitely repeat the mistake again, which will result in more people suffering. If you can’t find anything positive to say about your business practice, you won’t be able to spin the story in your favor.
It might sound like an extreme case, but there are times when a business owner will find himself saying yes to all five of those questions. Earlier in this book, I talked about a company that promised consumers access to information that would help them get free government grants. The customers were told for $600 the company would send them information to help them apply for these government grants, and it would guide them along the way. Customers who paid the $600 said the information they received was nothing more than bad copies of outdated phone numbers and inaccurate information. When the customers tried to get their money back, they said the company stalled and wouldn’t return their phone calls.
This company refused to talk on camera for our story, which was a smart strategic move. The company wasn’t going to stop selling this information after our story aired. They were guilty of selling information that was free at the public library, and that was very difficult to spin. Practically anything the company said would have made them look like they were preying on uneducated consumers.
The company’s response came the day the story was scheduled to air, via a written statement. I was literally editing the story when the company’s statement was emailed to me. It was concise and to the point, saying: “(the company) has provided the public with valuable information and services. As a result, our customers have bought their first homes, invested in real estate, improved their communities, created jobs and started and expanded businesses.”
This was a good statement because it focused only on the positive aspects of the business. Who knew if this statement was true, but there was no way to challenge it, especially at this late hour. In addition, the statement allowed the company to give its side of the story without answering any tough questions. The statement also didn’t attack the victims or accuse people of making mistakes with their service.
Whenever you are responding in writing to a television station or newspaper, keep your statement brief, preferably under three sentences. A shorter statement increases your odds of the entire response getting published in the story. Stay positive and don’t try to blame a victim or business in your statement. Instead, accept responsibility by focusing your response on the good services or aspects of your business. A statement is not a platform to throw mud, and here is an example of why that is a fact.
For more information on how to decide whether talking on the record is in your best interest, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
When You Should Say No to an Interview with a Reporter.
1) You are guilty.
2) You or your business will continue engaging in this controversial behavior.
3) You have not learned anything from this situation.
4) Anything you say will make you sound guilty.
5) You can’t find anything positive to say about the situation.
If you answered yes to these five questions, you may be better off defending yourself with a written statement. It’s okay to make a mistake as long as you learn from it. However, if your business will continue with the controversial practice, your defense gets weaker. If you didn’t learn anything from the situation, you will definitely repeat the mistake again, which will result in more people suffering. If you can’t find anything positive to say about your business practice, you won’t be able to spin the story in your favor.
It might sound like an extreme case, but there are times when a business owner will find himself saying yes to all five of those questions. Earlier in this book, I talked about a company that promised consumers access to information that would help them get free government grants. The customers were told for $600 the company would send them information to help them apply for these government grants, and it would guide them along the way. Customers who paid the $600 said the information they received was nothing more than bad copies of outdated phone numbers and inaccurate information. When the customers tried to get their money back, they said the company stalled and wouldn’t return their phone calls.
This company refused to talk on camera for our story, which was a smart strategic move. The company wasn’t going to stop selling this information after our story aired. They were guilty of selling information that was free at the public library, and that was very difficult to spin. Practically anything the company said would have made them look like they were preying on uneducated consumers.
The company’s response came the day the story was scheduled to air, via a written statement. I was literally editing the story when the company’s statement was emailed to me. It was concise and to the point, saying: “(the company) has provided the public with valuable information and services. As a result, our customers have bought their first homes, invested in real estate, improved their communities, created jobs and started and expanded businesses.”
This was a good statement because it focused only on the positive aspects of the business. Who knew if this statement was true, but there was no way to challenge it, especially at this late hour. In addition, the statement allowed the company to give its side of the story without answering any tough questions. The statement also didn’t attack the victims or accuse people of making mistakes with their service.
Whenever you are responding in writing to a television station or newspaper, keep your statement brief, preferably under three sentences. A shorter statement increases your odds of the entire response getting published in the story. Stay positive and don’t try to blame a victim or business in your statement. Instead, accept responsibility by focusing your response on the good services or aspects of your business. A statement is not a platform to throw mud, and here is an example of why that is a fact.
For more information on how to decide whether talking on the record is in your best interest, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
Ambushed
The media doesn’t need your permission to enter your business, but they do need your permission to stay inside. If a television reporter and photographer enter your premises, it is your responsibility to tell them to leave your property. Many reporters will take their time leaving; trying to engage you in conversation while the photographer shoots video of your establishment. Don’t allow this to happen to you. Focus your attention on the photographer –not the reporter – and politely ask him to leave. But be firm and say it so the camera can hear it, “I am telling you to leave my property right now. You are trespassing. I also want that camera turned off now or you will hear from my attorney.”
You have a right to force any television camera to leave your place of business, so you should exert that power. Don’t allow the reporter to get any video of your product, service or business. If you are able to enforce this, you have just helped maintain damage control by limiting the reporter’s video.
There are some instances in television when the reporter won’t announce that he wants to interview you, and you won’t have a chance to prepare for your response. Instead, he will catch you off guard with his camera and microphone, asking you questions when you are least prepared. In television, this is publicly called the “unannounced interview” or “unscheduled interview” but privately, TV people refer to it as an “ambush.”
Most responsible journalists will reach out and request an on-camera interview in advance, but there are some television segments that are driven by this confrontational tabloid style. It makes for great TV and that’s why this form of sensational journalism always attracts viewers. It’s like driving by a car accident. You want to stop and look to see how bad the damage is. Viewers want to see the crooked businessman caught in his web of lies.
If a reporter ambushes you like this unannounced, maintain your composure and show respect for the camera. There’s a reason why “innocent people have nothing to hide” is such a cliché. Instead of running from the camera, approach the reporter in a non-threatening manner, and say you will gladly talk on camera but in a professional environment. Tell the reporter you have nothing to hide and will gladly talk on camera if it is scheduled. But don’t fall for the reporter’s bait. He’s going to throw out questions at you, while he has you in front of the camera. He might even insult you and invade your personal space. If he calls you slime for leaving a little old lady without water, look him in the eyes and say that you want a chance to respond on camera, but shouting is not the proper format.
Again, don’t let the reporter draw you to anger, and don’t let him lure you into saying something you will later regret. Assume the camera is always rolling, and everything you say is captured on TV. The reporter might keep asking you the same uncomfortable questions, but don’t get thrown off track. Keep repeating that you will talk on camera, but in the proper format and environment. Give the reporter a legitimate excuse why you can’t do the interview right now on the street. Of course you will have a legitimate excuse because you will be headed somewhere when those cameras unexpectedly jump out of the bushes.
Many of these confrontational reporters are good at getting sound from those who don’t want to speak. They’ve had years mastering the art. If you find yourself getting baited, lower your voice and speak softly, so the microphone won’t pick up anything you say. Mumble your words and don’t project your voice. The microphone will probably not be able to pick up what you say and if the camera doesn’t hear it, you won’t hear it on TV. The only thing that you should enunciate in the interview is that you will talk to the reporter in the proper format. Turn the tables on the reporter and tell him he is being unprofessional for not wanting to schedule an interview the responsible way.
For more insight on how to handle a reporter in any crisis situation, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
You have a right to force any television camera to leave your place of business, so you should exert that power. Don’t allow the reporter to get any video of your product, service or business. If you are able to enforce this, you have just helped maintain damage control by limiting the reporter’s video.
There are some instances in television when the reporter won’t announce that he wants to interview you, and you won’t have a chance to prepare for your response. Instead, he will catch you off guard with his camera and microphone, asking you questions when you are least prepared. In television, this is publicly called the “unannounced interview” or “unscheduled interview” but privately, TV people refer to it as an “ambush.”
Most responsible journalists will reach out and request an on-camera interview in advance, but there are some television segments that are driven by this confrontational tabloid style. It makes for great TV and that’s why this form of sensational journalism always attracts viewers. It’s like driving by a car accident. You want to stop and look to see how bad the damage is. Viewers want to see the crooked businessman caught in his web of lies.
If a reporter ambushes you like this unannounced, maintain your composure and show respect for the camera. There’s a reason why “innocent people have nothing to hide” is such a cliché. Instead of running from the camera, approach the reporter in a non-threatening manner, and say you will gladly talk on camera but in a professional environment. Tell the reporter you have nothing to hide and will gladly talk on camera if it is scheduled. But don’t fall for the reporter’s bait. He’s going to throw out questions at you, while he has you in front of the camera. He might even insult you and invade your personal space. If he calls you slime for leaving a little old lady without water, look him in the eyes and say that you want a chance to respond on camera, but shouting is not the proper format.
Again, don’t let the reporter draw you to anger, and don’t let him lure you into saying something you will later regret. Assume the camera is always rolling, and everything you say is captured on TV. The reporter might keep asking you the same uncomfortable questions, but don’t get thrown off track. Keep repeating that you will talk on camera, but in the proper format and environment. Give the reporter a legitimate excuse why you can’t do the interview right now on the street. Of course you will have a legitimate excuse because you will be headed somewhere when those cameras unexpectedly jump out of the bushes.
Many of these confrontational reporters are good at getting sound from those who don’t want to speak. They’ve had years mastering the art. If you find yourself getting baited, lower your voice and speak softly, so the microphone won’t pick up anything you say. Mumble your words and don’t project your voice. The microphone will probably not be able to pick up what you say and if the camera doesn’t hear it, you won’t hear it on TV. The only thing that you should enunciate in the interview is that you will talk to the reporter in the proper format. Turn the tables on the reporter and tell him he is being unprofessional for not wanting to schedule an interview the responsible way.
For more insight on how to handle a reporter in any crisis situation, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
Handling the Media's Tough Questions
Now, let’s assume you do decide to talk to the media. The story must now include a portion of its time to your defense. If your communication strategy is executed properly, readers and viewers will hear from you why: A) the story isn’t true, B) the customer is stretching the truth, or C) you are working to solve the problem. If you can project an image of sympathy or empathy, viewers might even feel sorry for you and give you the benefit of the doubt, knowing everyone is entitled to make a mistake in life.
But let’s be clear on this communications strategy. You are not obligated to provide video for the reporter’s story, only an interview. With negative stories on television, you need to always control the amount of video that a photographer shoots of you and your business. The fewer visuals a reporter has to work with, the more restrictions that are placed on the story.
Let me elaborate. In television there is something called B-roll and sound. B-roll is another word for video, while sound is the abbreviated term for interviews. During a TV shoot, you will frequently overhear producers telling the photographer to get more “b-roll for a package.” This insider lingo basically means that the producer needs more video for his story. “Package” is another word for story.
As a person or business in the center of a negative story, you should always try to control the amount of video or “b-roll” that a photographer shoots. Here is a good example of why this is important and how it works to your advantage.
Many cities have restaurant health reports on their local newscasts. They might be called “Eat at Your Own Risk,” “Dirty Restaurants” or the “Friday Restaurant Report.” Whatever the segment is called, it doesn’t matter because all of these stories work like a formula. The reporter focuses the story around a popular restaurant that failed its most recent health inspection. Some of the more in-depth television reports will take an undercover camera into the restaurant and shoot hidden camera video of the food or kitchen before the restaurant manager is “ambushed” outside. In almost every case involving a story like this, you should not allow cameras into your restaurant.
Remember, it doesn’t exist in television if the photographer doesn’t get it on tape. An alien could land in Times Square during the middle of the day, but if a photographer doesn’t capture it, you might as well be listening to radio. That’s a fact that won’t ever change in the visual medium of television. I cannot over-emphasize how much video drives a story in television, and why you need to control it.
Many great follow-ups to newspaper stories are killed in the morning news meetings for television because the story lacks visuals. In December 2007, producers and managers in my television newsroom kicked around a story involving a sperm donor who was ordered by a judge to pay child support for his unknown child. The story was full of controversy. A young man allows another couple to use his sperm so they could have a child, and then a judge orders him to pay child support. Our television station wanted to pursue the story, but after the biological father said he wouldn’t talk on camera, the story was killed. The father eliminated the controversy by removing himself from the story.
In many of my undercover investigations, I worried relentlessly about the hidden-camera not working until I played the tape back and saw what the camera captured. Cameras are just like any other high-tech gadget. Sometimes they fail, and they don’t capture the video needed. Sometimes, uneducated business owners improve the visuals of a negative story by inviting cameras into their establishments. Either way, good video only makes an average story better. Poor video can lead to a shorter story or in the best situation, lead to it getting killed.
Let’s stick with the example of the restaurant report, and assume the reporter didn’t get any video inside of the establishment. What do you think viewers will see on TV during this restaurant report? You’re going to see exteriors of the restaurant, and pictures of a health inspection document. The camera will zoom into words like, “rats,” “rodents,” “failed,” “feces” or any other titillating word on the health department document. But that video only lasts for so long before it turns into wallpaper. You can only show so many documents and exteriors of a restaurant before you want to change the channel.
By limiting the photographer’s access to your business or restaurant, you are controlling the story’s direction. Without video, reporters will have little to write to or show on television. And don’t be charmed into letting a reporter or producer see more of your business. Reporters will say they only want to get video of your clean kitchen. And let’s assume your kitchen is clean. Maybe you are proud of the new manager you hired in response to your last failed restaurant inspection report. What’s wrong with wanting to show off your sparkling new kitchen? Don’t you want viewers to see how you cleaned up your act?
Here’s why you can’t do that. Once the photographer is inside your kitchen, he is going to focus his camera on visual elements that the story lacks. The photographer is going to shoot video of your floor where the mice scampered around and left behind droppings. The photographer will focus on uncooked perishable food items that are outside of the refrigerator. The camera will take pictures of employees cooking food.
You have now added all of the elements for a visual story. The reporter can write to rats prancing around the kitchen floor. Sure, you won’t see rats, but you will see the kitchen floor. The reporter can talk about dangerous food temperatures left outside of the refrigerator by showing eggs on the kitchen counter. The reporter can show close-up shots of hands, as he refers to any violations your employees may have received. This story now has every ingredient to make it a great visual story, and you can thank yourself for making it happen.
Consider the alternative: video of the exterior of a building and a document. The reporter doesn’t have pictures of your kitchen floor, and he can’t show unsafe food that was left outside of the refrigerator. The reporter’s imagination is limited because he has fewer visuals. And because a story like this gets boring fast, it has a better chance of getting cut down in the edit bay, which means your negative story will be shorter.
You don’t have to own a restaurant to apply this defensive tactic to your story. If you own an auto repair shop, the TV reporter will need video of mechanics working on cars. Or if you own a clothing store, the reporter will need video of customers browsing through the clothing racks. This situation applies to almost any business that can control who walks in and out of the building, i.e. coffee shop owners, airports, hospitals, retail outlets, auto repair shops, manufacturing plants, etc.
For more advice on how to handle the media during a crisis situation, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
But let’s be clear on this communications strategy. You are not obligated to provide video for the reporter’s story, only an interview. With negative stories on television, you need to always control the amount of video that a photographer shoots of you and your business. The fewer visuals a reporter has to work with, the more restrictions that are placed on the story.
Let me elaborate. In television there is something called B-roll and sound. B-roll is another word for video, while sound is the abbreviated term for interviews. During a TV shoot, you will frequently overhear producers telling the photographer to get more “b-roll for a package.” This insider lingo basically means that the producer needs more video for his story. “Package” is another word for story.
As a person or business in the center of a negative story, you should always try to control the amount of video or “b-roll” that a photographer shoots. Here is a good example of why this is important and how it works to your advantage.
Many cities have restaurant health reports on their local newscasts. They might be called “Eat at Your Own Risk,” “Dirty Restaurants” or the “Friday Restaurant Report.” Whatever the segment is called, it doesn’t matter because all of these stories work like a formula. The reporter focuses the story around a popular restaurant that failed its most recent health inspection. Some of the more in-depth television reports will take an undercover camera into the restaurant and shoot hidden camera video of the food or kitchen before the restaurant manager is “ambushed” outside. In almost every case involving a story like this, you should not allow cameras into your restaurant.
Remember, it doesn’t exist in television if the photographer doesn’t get it on tape. An alien could land in Times Square during the middle of the day, but if a photographer doesn’t capture it, you might as well be listening to radio. That’s a fact that won’t ever change in the visual medium of television. I cannot over-emphasize how much video drives a story in television, and why you need to control it.
Many great follow-ups to newspaper stories are killed in the morning news meetings for television because the story lacks visuals. In December 2007, producers and managers in my television newsroom kicked around a story involving a sperm donor who was ordered by a judge to pay child support for his unknown child. The story was full of controversy. A young man allows another couple to use his sperm so they could have a child, and then a judge orders him to pay child support. Our television station wanted to pursue the story, but after the biological father said he wouldn’t talk on camera, the story was killed. The father eliminated the controversy by removing himself from the story.
In many of my undercover investigations, I worried relentlessly about the hidden-camera not working until I played the tape back and saw what the camera captured. Cameras are just like any other high-tech gadget. Sometimes they fail, and they don’t capture the video needed. Sometimes, uneducated business owners improve the visuals of a negative story by inviting cameras into their establishments. Either way, good video only makes an average story better. Poor video can lead to a shorter story or in the best situation, lead to it getting killed.
Let’s stick with the example of the restaurant report, and assume the reporter didn’t get any video inside of the establishment. What do you think viewers will see on TV during this restaurant report? You’re going to see exteriors of the restaurant, and pictures of a health inspection document. The camera will zoom into words like, “rats,” “rodents,” “failed,” “feces” or any other titillating word on the health department document. But that video only lasts for so long before it turns into wallpaper. You can only show so many documents and exteriors of a restaurant before you want to change the channel.
By limiting the photographer’s access to your business or restaurant, you are controlling the story’s direction. Without video, reporters will have little to write to or show on television. And don’t be charmed into letting a reporter or producer see more of your business. Reporters will say they only want to get video of your clean kitchen. And let’s assume your kitchen is clean. Maybe you are proud of the new manager you hired in response to your last failed restaurant inspection report. What’s wrong with wanting to show off your sparkling new kitchen? Don’t you want viewers to see how you cleaned up your act?
Here’s why you can’t do that. Once the photographer is inside your kitchen, he is going to focus his camera on visual elements that the story lacks. The photographer is going to shoot video of your floor where the mice scampered around and left behind droppings. The photographer will focus on uncooked perishable food items that are outside of the refrigerator. The camera will take pictures of employees cooking food.
You have now added all of the elements for a visual story. The reporter can write to rats prancing around the kitchen floor. Sure, you won’t see rats, but you will see the kitchen floor. The reporter can talk about dangerous food temperatures left outside of the refrigerator by showing eggs on the kitchen counter. The reporter can show close-up shots of hands, as he refers to any violations your employees may have received. This story now has every ingredient to make it a great visual story, and you can thank yourself for making it happen.
Consider the alternative: video of the exterior of a building and a document. The reporter doesn’t have pictures of your kitchen floor, and he can’t show unsafe food that was left outside of the refrigerator. The reporter’s imagination is limited because he has fewer visuals. And because a story like this gets boring fast, it has a better chance of getting cut down in the edit bay, which means your negative story will be shorter.
You don’t have to own a restaurant to apply this defensive tactic to your story. If you own an auto repair shop, the TV reporter will need video of mechanics working on cars. Or if you own a clothing store, the reporter will need video of customers browsing through the clothing racks. This situation applies to almost any business that can control who walks in and out of the building, i.e. coffee shop owners, airports, hospitals, retail outlets, auto repair shops, manufacturing plants, etc.
For more advice on how to handle the media during a crisis situation, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
When to Talk on Camera
Think back to high school. Whenever you heard a bad rumor about a girl, you almost always assumed it was true unless the girl came out and denied it. The laws of human behavior haven’t changed much since then. If the source is credible, most people are going to believe the story has merit unless there is some form of denial involved by the accused.
In the fall of 2007, an anchor for a local cable news channel in New York was fired for calling into a newscast under a fake name. When the story first broke, a local newspaper reported the anchor was fired because he phoned into an evening call-in show, saying he was “Dalton” from the Upper East Side. The anchor broke a universal rule for journalists. He gave his opinion about a public official-Bernard Kerik-a former New York Police Commissioner who was facing a 16-count federal indictment. The anchor had a serious lapse in judgment because everyone recognized his voice on television. He was an anchor and these were his coworkers listening to his rants against a public official on television under a bogus name. He wasn’t fooling anyone with his lies.
Salacious stories like these quickly circulate around newsrooms. When the story first broke, producers and reporters inside my newsroom all debated whether the article was true or if the station was using this as an excuse to release the anchor from his contract. In television, people are fired for all kinds of reasons but this sounded so ludicrous it was hard to believe a person could be this dumb. After reading the article, one producer cast his opinion.
“It has to be true,” he said. “Listen to his response. He doesn’t deny it.”
That quote is an affirmation for this entire chapter.
If you are accused of doing something that you didn’t do, make sure your denial is clear and crisp. There must be no reading between the lines. Don’t mince words when you tell the reporter or producer that the allegation is false and you didn’t do it. And if you talk on television, don’t give viewers an opportunity to draw their own conclusions. Make it easy for them to believe that you are a victim, and the accusations are false. Be clear in your denial.
President Bill Clinton was a master communicator and he articulated his denial to perfection when he told America in 1998 the sexual allegations against him were false.
“I want to say one thing to the America people. I want you to listen to me. I’m going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”
I believed President Clinton after I heard that speech. The President sounded sincere, honest and straightforward in his denial, and I assumed he was the victim of dirty politics. If it had not been for that little blue dress much of America would have believed him as well and perhaps history would have viewed him differently.
It’s easy to deny charges when the allegations are false, but what happens when the allegations against you are true? How should you respond when someone accuses you or your business of a negative act, and inside you know it did happen? I wouldn’t recommend pulling a page from President Clinton’s crisis book and denying it at all costs. President Clinton rightfully assumed it was going to be his word versus the word of a former intern and most of America would see him as the credible one. He obviously didn’t take into account the stained dress would survive the years and surface as evidence. Likewise, you never know what evidence the reporter or producer has supporting the allegation against you, so don’t deny something that you know is true. Reporters are paid to find facts and if they find any information that proves you are lying, all credibility is lost for good.
I’m of the journalism school that subscribes it will almost always hurt you to decline an interview with the media, regardless of whether you are guilty or innocent. If you say no to an interview, you have virtually no chance of shaping the story’s coverage. However, if you say yes to an interview and artfully prepare your statements you can at least maintain damage control. And with a little splash of spin, there is even a chance you could turn a negative story into a positive one.
There are several reasons why I say it will almost always hurt you to not talk to the media. The most important reason is you give a reporter full reign to pursue his story when you decline to speak on the record. Every allegation in a reporter’s story must be vetted or at least screened by the accused for legal reasons, but if you refuse to talk to the journalist, he doesn’t have to run the allegations by anyone. Effectively, you remove a reporter’s checks and balances by refusing to talk to a reporter.
In addition, if you don’t defend yourself people will assume you are guilty. Even if the reporter reads a statement from you, viewers and readers will gloss over that element of the story. Instead, they will see and hear a victim making strong charges against you. They will hear evidence supporting the victim’s claim. And then they are going to hear the reporter say on camera, “The owner of the business, Mr. Johnny Jones, refused to answer any of our questions.”
The subconscious mind will be moving in high gear when this is heard. Why wouldn’t the owner talk to the reporter? Viewers and readers will assume the businessman is guilty and hiding something. If he didn’t do it, he would deny it. It’s common human behavior to assume guilty people try to hide. And if you don’t believe that, think back to the OJ Simpson police chase involving his White Bronco. Nearly all of America cast their guilty vote after they saw OJ running from the law.
For more tips on how to decide whether to talk on camera, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
In the fall of 2007, an anchor for a local cable news channel in New York was fired for calling into a newscast under a fake name. When the story first broke, a local newspaper reported the anchor was fired because he phoned into an evening call-in show, saying he was “Dalton” from the Upper East Side. The anchor broke a universal rule for journalists. He gave his opinion about a public official-Bernard Kerik-a former New York Police Commissioner who was facing a 16-count federal indictment. The anchor had a serious lapse in judgment because everyone recognized his voice on television. He was an anchor and these were his coworkers listening to his rants against a public official on television under a bogus name. He wasn’t fooling anyone with his lies.
Salacious stories like these quickly circulate around newsrooms. When the story first broke, producers and reporters inside my newsroom all debated whether the article was true or if the station was using this as an excuse to release the anchor from his contract. In television, people are fired for all kinds of reasons but this sounded so ludicrous it was hard to believe a person could be this dumb. After reading the article, one producer cast his opinion.
“It has to be true,” he said. “Listen to his response. He doesn’t deny it.”
That quote is an affirmation for this entire chapter.
If you are accused of doing something that you didn’t do, make sure your denial is clear and crisp. There must be no reading between the lines. Don’t mince words when you tell the reporter or producer that the allegation is false and you didn’t do it. And if you talk on television, don’t give viewers an opportunity to draw their own conclusions. Make it easy for them to believe that you are a victim, and the accusations are false. Be clear in your denial.
President Bill Clinton was a master communicator and he articulated his denial to perfection when he told America in 1998 the sexual allegations against him were false.
“I want to say one thing to the America people. I want you to listen to me. I’m going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”
I believed President Clinton after I heard that speech. The President sounded sincere, honest and straightforward in his denial, and I assumed he was the victim of dirty politics. If it had not been for that little blue dress much of America would have believed him as well and perhaps history would have viewed him differently.
It’s easy to deny charges when the allegations are false, but what happens when the allegations against you are true? How should you respond when someone accuses you or your business of a negative act, and inside you know it did happen? I wouldn’t recommend pulling a page from President Clinton’s crisis book and denying it at all costs. President Clinton rightfully assumed it was going to be his word versus the word of a former intern and most of America would see him as the credible one. He obviously didn’t take into account the stained dress would survive the years and surface as evidence. Likewise, you never know what evidence the reporter or producer has supporting the allegation against you, so don’t deny something that you know is true. Reporters are paid to find facts and if they find any information that proves you are lying, all credibility is lost for good.
I’m of the journalism school that subscribes it will almost always hurt you to decline an interview with the media, regardless of whether you are guilty or innocent. If you say no to an interview, you have virtually no chance of shaping the story’s coverage. However, if you say yes to an interview and artfully prepare your statements you can at least maintain damage control. And with a little splash of spin, there is even a chance you could turn a negative story into a positive one.
There are several reasons why I say it will almost always hurt you to not talk to the media. The most important reason is you give a reporter full reign to pursue his story when you decline to speak on the record. Every allegation in a reporter’s story must be vetted or at least screened by the accused for legal reasons, but if you refuse to talk to the journalist, he doesn’t have to run the allegations by anyone. Effectively, you remove a reporter’s checks and balances by refusing to talk to a reporter.
In addition, if you don’t defend yourself people will assume you are guilty. Even if the reporter reads a statement from you, viewers and readers will gloss over that element of the story. Instead, they will see and hear a victim making strong charges against you. They will hear evidence supporting the victim’s claim. And then they are going to hear the reporter say on camera, “The owner of the business, Mr. Johnny Jones, refused to answer any of our questions.”
The subconscious mind will be moving in high gear when this is heard. Why wouldn’t the owner talk to the reporter? Viewers and readers will assume the businessman is guilty and hiding something. If he didn’t do it, he would deny it. It’s common human behavior to assume guilty people try to hide. And if you don’t believe that, think back to the OJ Simpson police chase involving his White Bronco. Nearly all of America cast their guilty vote after they saw OJ running from the law.
For more tips on how to decide whether to talk on camera, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
Getting the Media's Attention
The Rules of Gift Giving
No journalist should ever accept a gift from a person seeking coverage, yet that doesn’t stop businesses from sending packages and passes to their events. I am of the belief that you should never send an unsolicited gift to a reporter or producer because it is a waste of your time and money. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pitch the product to the news organization. Just don’t send the product in advance until you are certain of the story’s coverage. Most newsrooms have a table full of toys, makeup, books and other products that were sent to a reporter or producer seeking coverage.
The Today Show on NBC receives so many of these products that they hold a sale for charity at the end of the year. In the rare case, a product might receive coverage, but this could have been accomplished by sending over a release that offered up a sample product for a story. At the very least, the release would have prescreened the number of news organizations that weren’t interested in the story, saving you or your organization money.
In many cases, the news outlet will need the product to test for a story or to shoot visuals for television. If a producer or reporter asks for a free product by all means give it to him. The odds are high that a story will air on your product or service if the reporter personally asks for a sample or invitation to an event. Most reporters don’t want to risk a career over a free gift.
But you can Infiltrate the Media by Attending their Events.
Everyone wants to help a friend and members of the media are no different. You will get calls returned faster and story ideas will be forwarded to the right person if you are on a first-name basis with a reporter or producer. Odds are you probably didn’t go to school with any journalist, but that doesn’t mean you can’t curry favor with them.
Many minority organizations hold journalism conferences in the summer months. Groups like the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, National Association of Asian Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists hold 3-day seminars in cities across the country. The conferences allow members to socialize, network and attend daytime workshops with journalists of the same ethnicity. The nighttime events are filled with schmoozing and booze, making any outsider feel like a true media insider. These events are open to everyone regardless of your background or ethnicity. You don’t need to show a press card to attend the conference. As long as you pay the yearly dues and conference fee you can attend, mingle and socialize with the journalists on their terms. Ironically, few publicists ever attend these events even though it is a great place to establish contacts.
Many cities also have their local media mixers. When I worked in Arizona, I belonged to an organization called the Arizona Latino Media Association, also known as ALMA. The group frequently held social events at bars and restaurants where Hispanic journalists and public relations executives mingled. The website www.mediabistro.com frequently cites mixers that are taking place across the country. Journalism schools, colleges and universities might also be able to tell you about social events involving the media in your area.
Once you get a name and a contact it might help your future pitch. Just try not to be too blatant with your agenda. If you go to a minority media mixer, make sure you are willing to learn and contribute to the organization and its causes. And please don’t pitch reporters at the conference when they are trying to forget about work. Instead, use the time at the conference to establish commonalities and bonds.
For more tips on how to get the media's attention, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
No journalist should ever accept a gift from a person seeking coverage, yet that doesn’t stop businesses from sending packages and passes to their events. I am of the belief that you should never send an unsolicited gift to a reporter or producer because it is a waste of your time and money. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pitch the product to the news organization. Just don’t send the product in advance until you are certain of the story’s coverage. Most newsrooms have a table full of toys, makeup, books and other products that were sent to a reporter or producer seeking coverage.
The Today Show on NBC receives so many of these products that they hold a sale for charity at the end of the year. In the rare case, a product might receive coverage, but this could have been accomplished by sending over a release that offered up a sample product for a story. At the very least, the release would have prescreened the number of news organizations that weren’t interested in the story, saving you or your organization money.
In many cases, the news outlet will need the product to test for a story or to shoot visuals for television. If a producer or reporter asks for a free product by all means give it to him. The odds are high that a story will air on your product or service if the reporter personally asks for a sample or invitation to an event. Most reporters don’t want to risk a career over a free gift.
But you can Infiltrate the Media by Attending their Events.
Everyone wants to help a friend and members of the media are no different. You will get calls returned faster and story ideas will be forwarded to the right person if you are on a first-name basis with a reporter or producer. Odds are you probably didn’t go to school with any journalist, but that doesn’t mean you can’t curry favor with them.
Many minority organizations hold journalism conferences in the summer months. Groups like the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, National Association of Asian Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists hold 3-day seminars in cities across the country. The conferences allow members to socialize, network and attend daytime workshops with journalists of the same ethnicity. The nighttime events are filled with schmoozing and booze, making any outsider feel like a true media insider. These events are open to everyone regardless of your background or ethnicity. You don’t need to show a press card to attend the conference. As long as you pay the yearly dues and conference fee you can attend, mingle and socialize with the journalists on their terms. Ironically, few publicists ever attend these events even though it is a great place to establish contacts.
Many cities also have their local media mixers. When I worked in Arizona, I belonged to an organization called the Arizona Latino Media Association, also known as ALMA. The group frequently held social events at bars and restaurants where Hispanic journalists and public relations executives mingled. The website www.mediabistro.com frequently cites mixers that are taking place across the country. Journalism schools, colleges and universities might also be able to tell you about social events involving the media in your area.
Once you get a name and a contact it might help your future pitch. Just try not to be too blatant with your agenda. If you go to a minority media mixer, make sure you are willing to learn and contribute to the organization and its causes. And please don’t pitch reporters at the conference when they are trying to forget about work. Instead, use the time at the conference to establish commonalities and bonds.
For more tips on how to get the media's attention, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
When to Pitch Reporters
Understand the Different Deadlines
Television and newspaper reporters face different deadlines, which means you must approach them at different hours of the day. You never want to reach or pitch a reporter when he is under deadline because his attention won’t be focused on you. Generally speaking, every television reporter that files a daily story is under deadline three hours before the newscast. Some specialty reporters, like consumer, health or investigative correspondents, don’t file reports every day so they could be approached during the newscast, but you must be certain they are not under deadline. Most publicists know the unwritten rule is to never pitch a story during a newscast, but for many specialty reporters and producers this can be the best time to reach them. As a specialty producer in the consumer and health units, I rarely received calls during our newscast even though it was probably the best time to reach me. I wasn’t under deadline, I was unwinding for the day, and I was receptive to hearing new pitches at that time.
Many newspaper reporters with a daily beat must file their stories between 6pm and 7pm, so you should avoid calling them after 3pm. Reporters who file weekly stories in the Arts and Leisure, Sunday Business or similar sections typically face a Thursday deadline. You should avoid calling these reporters on the day of their deadlines. If you are uncertain of a reporter’s deadline, do a Google search with his byline name to see how often his stories appear in the newspaper. If his stories run every week you can safely assume he works under a weekly deadline. When in doubt over a deadline, just ask.
In many cases a reporter’s daily deadline can work in your favor, giving you a better opportunity to shape the media’s coverage. If there is an issue brewing in the morning news that impacts your business and you have uncovered a sidebar element, you should pitch it to the reporter by 8am. Every newsroom has a morning meeting where reporters pitch stories for the day. These meetings typically start at 9am although in some cities they can start as early as 8:30am. If you are pitching a daily story that is tied to a daily news topic, make sure the reporter has the story idea for that morning meeting. The morning meeting is one of the rare times when reporters can get instant approval for a story idea since all of the news managers are hearing the pitch at the same time.
If you aren’t getting responses from your pitches, you might want to reconsider your entire approach. Perhaps your story idea isn’t focused or you are pitching to the wrong reporters. Maybe you haven’t properly identified why your story is newsworthy. Take the time to re-evaluate your press release to see if you are communicating the essence of your story. Remember, public relations is not advertising. No newspaper or television station wants to do an advertisement or commercial for a product or service. Make sure you have communicated in your pitch how your story will benefit the public. Remember, there is a home for every story. It’s just a matter of finding the proper niche and tailoring the pitch directly for that niche.
For more tips on how to pitch reporters, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
Television and newspaper reporters face different deadlines, which means you must approach them at different hours of the day. You never want to reach or pitch a reporter when he is under deadline because his attention won’t be focused on you. Generally speaking, every television reporter that files a daily story is under deadline three hours before the newscast. Some specialty reporters, like consumer, health or investigative correspondents, don’t file reports every day so they could be approached during the newscast, but you must be certain they are not under deadline. Most publicists know the unwritten rule is to never pitch a story during a newscast, but for many specialty reporters and producers this can be the best time to reach them. As a specialty producer in the consumer and health units, I rarely received calls during our newscast even though it was probably the best time to reach me. I wasn’t under deadline, I was unwinding for the day, and I was receptive to hearing new pitches at that time.
Many newspaper reporters with a daily beat must file their stories between 6pm and 7pm, so you should avoid calling them after 3pm. Reporters who file weekly stories in the Arts and Leisure, Sunday Business or similar sections typically face a Thursday deadline. You should avoid calling these reporters on the day of their deadlines. If you are uncertain of a reporter’s deadline, do a Google search with his byline name to see how often his stories appear in the newspaper. If his stories run every week you can safely assume he works under a weekly deadline. When in doubt over a deadline, just ask.
In many cases a reporter’s daily deadline can work in your favor, giving you a better opportunity to shape the media’s coverage. If there is an issue brewing in the morning news that impacts your business and you have uncovered a sidebar element, you should pitch it to the reporter by 8am. Every newsroom has a morning meeting where reporters pitch stories for the day. These meetings typically start at 9am although in some cities they can start as early as 8:30am. If you are pitching a daily story that is tied to a daily news topic, make sure the reporter has the story idea for that morning meeting. The morning meeting is one of the rare times when reporters can get instant approval for a story idea since all of the news managers are hearing the pitch at the same time.
If you aren’t getting responses from your pitches, you might want to reconsider your entire approach. Perhaps your story idea isn’t focused or you are pitching to the wrong reporters. Maybe you haven’t properly identified why your story is newsworthy. Take the time to re-evaluate your press release to see if you are communicating the essence of your story. Remember, public relations is not advertising. No newspaper or television station wants to do an advertisement or commercial for a product or service. Make sure you have communicated in your pitch how your story will benefit the public. Remember, there is a home for every story. It’s just a matter of finding the proper niche and tailoring the pitch directly for that niche.
For more tips on how to pitch reporters, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
How to Pitch Reporters
Pitching Reporters over the Phone
Common etiquette dictates that callers should follow a certain protocol when reaching out to a reporter over the phone, but viewers and readers rarely follow this. How would you feel if you answered your phone at home, and someone started telling you a problem without saying hello, or asking if it was a good time to talk? Now you know how reporters, producers and assignment desk managers feel when they pick up their phone at work and hear strangers immediately ramble into a problem.
If you are following up with an email release or trying to pitch a story over the phone, ask the reporter if you are reaching him at a good time before you jump into the pitch. If he says he is under deadline, ask him when is the best time to call him, thank him, and then say good-bye. I personally don’t like receiving pitches over the phone because I have found that a person’s thought process is more scattered when he is verbally pitching a story.
When it is on paper, the pitch seems more to the point and I can jump ahead to see if there is a story buried between the lines. That being said, some reporters still do prefer phone pitches because it gives them a chance to press the person with more questions. Whichever the preference, you will be hard-pressed to find a reporter who likes receiving story pitches over voicemail. Callers tend to drag on and on without any focus. If you get a voicemail, you are probably better off just hanging up. Wait until you get the person over the phone to make your pitch. And try to be empathetic. I’ll admit reporters and producers can sometimes be rude. Many of them are kind people outside of work but they get frustrated like many other people with their jobs. If you reach a reporter on a bad day, and he is rude over the phone, just remember everyone is occasionally entitled to a bad day. And please don’t hold their rudeness against all journalists, just like most of us don’t hold a grudge against all rude viewers and readers.
Personalize Your Pitch
Reporters and producers know when they are receiving a massive email blast. The pitch is not personalized, it doesn’t cite the producer or reporter’s name and it is written for a broad audience. These emails are rarely read past the first sentence because most of the time these ideas are worthless. Many people think they are making progress by getting their emails out to the largest number of journalists, but they’re not. It’s not productive if no one reads the release or if the email is sent to the wrong journalist.
Take the time to personalize the approach to the reporter, telling him in that first sentence why you think he is the right person for this story. Add the person’s first and last name at the top of the email, so he will believe the release is sent directly to him. And never, ever send an email release that lists the email addresses of everyone receiving the pitch. Some publicists have told me they believe this inspires competition, believing the reporter will move faster if he knows the story is available to other journalists. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In most cases, the reporter or producer will assume he is dealing with an inexperienced publicist, which means the odds are slim that the story pitch will be unique and valuable. He will also assume that the story has less value since every other reporter has it. If you have a solid idea, personalize the pitch and it will be better received.
For more on How to Pitch Reporters, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
Common etiquette dictates that callers should follow a certain protocol when reaching out to a reporter over the phone, but viewers and readers rarely follow this. How would you feel if you answered your phone at home, and someone started telling you a problem without saying hello, or asking if it was a good time to talk? Now you know how reporters, producers and assignment desk managers feel when they pick up their phone at work and hear strangers immediately ramble into a problem.
If you are following up with an email release or trying to pitch a story over the phone, ask the reporter if you are reaching him at a good time before you jump into the pitch. If he says he is under deadline, ask him when is the best time to call him, thank him, and then say good-bye. I personally don’t like receiving pitches over the phone because I have found that a person’s thought process is more scattered when he is verbally pitching a story.
When it is on paper, the pitch seems more to the point and I can jump ahead to see if there is a story buried between the lines. That being said, some reporters still do prefer phone pitches because it gives them a chance to press the person with more questions. Whichever the preference, you will be hard-pressed to find a reporter who likes receiving story pitches over voicemail. Callers tend to drag on and on without any focus. If you get a voicemail, you are probably better off just hanging up. Wait until you get the person over the phone to make your pitch. And try to be empathetic. I’ll admit reporters and producers can sometimes be rude. Many of them are kind people outside of work but they get frustrated like many other people with their jobs. If you reach a reporter on a bad day, and he is rude over the phone, just remember everyone is occasionally entitled to a bad day. And please don’t hold their rudeness against all journalists, just like most of us don’t hold a grudge against all rude viewers and readers.
Personalize Your Pitch
Reporters and producers know when they are receiving a massive email blast. The pitch is not personalized, it doesn’t cite the producer or reporter’s name and it is written for a broad audience. These emails are rarely read past the first sentence because most of the time these ideas are worthless. Many people think they are making progress by getting their emails out to the largest number of journalists, but they’re not. It’s not productive if no one reads the release or if the email is sent to the wrong journalist.
Take the time to personalize the approach to the reporter, telling him in that first sentence why you think he is the right person for this story. Add the person’s first and last name at the top of the email, so he will believe the release is sent directly to him. And never, ever send an email release that lists the email addresses of everyone receiving the pitch. Some publicists have told me they believe this inspires competition, believing the reporter will move faster if he knows the story is available to other journalists. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In most cases, the reporter or producer will assume he is dealing with an inexperienced publicist, which means the odds are slim that the story pitch will be unique and valuable. He will also assume that the story has less value since every other reporter has it. If you have a solid idea, personalize the pitch and it will be better received.
For more on How to Pitch Reporters, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
Pitching the Media Story Ideas
Identify the Best News Outlet for your Story
One size does not fit all when it comes to pitching a story. You will have more success managing the message by targeting the proper medium and reporter. In many ways, newspapers are a microcosm for this analysis. It’s obvious you wouldn’t pitch the sports section a story involving women’s fashion just like you wouldn’t pitch the business section a profile on a high school football coach. But what if that high school coach had leadership rules that applied to business? Or what if the women’s fashion was geared towards female athletes? Concentrate your pitch on the desired audience, but make sure you look beyond the stereotype. A story on a high school football coach with leadership principles could run in many different sections of the local newspaper-sports, business, metro and even the leisure sections. The better you identify your target, the more success you will have getting coverage.
You should apply this same-targeted approach when choosing which news outlet to pitch. If your story idea involves a niche, focus your time and energy on pitching the news outlet that reaches those targeted viewers and readers. Many people make the mistake of pitching to the largest pie (the local television station or newspaper) rather than focusing on a news outlet that reaches their desired demographics. You can better shape the public’s opinion if you are reaching your specific customer. For example, let’s say you have a product that appeals to housewives. You may not be able to pitch Oprah, but you can pitch the local newscast that airs at noon. Housewives are the majority of viewers watching newscasts that air during the workday. If you are trying to get exposure for a new nightclub opening in your area, target the alternative weekly as opposed to the entertainment TV reporter. The more you understand your targeted audience, the easier it will be to identify the best news outlet to pitch.
Writing an Effective Press Release
Newspaper and television reporters should not be approached the same way when it comes to writing email press releases. The two mediums face different time constraints with their stories, and that will dictate how long or short you should make your pitch.
Let’s begin with television where white is always good. The more white space on the email news release the better. No one wants to open an email and see eight, long, single-spaced paragraphs. Your initial pitch should never have more than four paragraphs. This is a stereotype but television moves so quickly that no desk assistant, reporter, producer or news manager will take the time to read a release that resembles a novel. They might make it to the second or third paragraph, but they are not going to read three pages of single-spaced sentences.
Here is a formula that seems to work with my peers and me. Try to think of a catchy headline to put at the top of the release, then follow-up your pitch with one paragraph explaining the story. The second paragraph should tell the reporter why viewers would be interested in your idea. This might seem like a challenging task for the rookie publicist, but by applying the five W’s you will be able to narrow down the focus of the story. The third paragraph should be devoted to explaining what you bring to the table or why you are the person to tell this story. If you have more statistics, articles or research for the reporter, tell him in the email you can provide it upon request.
Why not give the reporter all of the research at once or send it as an attachment? It can be intimidating for any reporter to open an email and see several attachments because he won’t know which one to open. When time is of the essence, no one wants to waste time opening useless attachments. However, if a reporter asks for a specific request, you will know which attachment to send.
Many publicists make the mistake of trying to cram everything into one press release. The purpose of a release is to get the reporter or producer interested in the story. You are only trying to make them aware of the idea, and pique their interest. Don’t worry if the release doesn’t answer all of the questions. If it is a good story, the reporter will give you a chance to answer those questions later.
Your approach should change when pitching newspapers but you should still start with the same principles cited for pitching television: begin with a catchy headline, apply the five W’s to narrow the focus of the story, and explain why you are the person to tell the story. Your email release should be more in-depth, depending on the topic and news outlet you are pitching, but it should not exceed one page. You can add credibility to your idea by attaching recent journals or studies that support your idea, along with a paragraph that explains what knowledge the attachments will provide.
For more tips on how to pitch stories to the media, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
One size does not fit all when it comes to pitching a story. You will have more success managing the message by targeting the proper medium and reporter. In many ways, newspapers are a microcosm for this analysis. It’s obvious you wouldn’t pitch the sports section a story involving women’s fashion just like you wouldn’t pitch the business section a profile on a high school football coach. But what if that high school coach had leadership rules that applied to business? Or what if the women’s fashion was geared towards female athletes? Concentrate your pitch on the desired audience, but make sure you look beyond the stereotype. A story on a high school football coach with leadership principles could run in many different sections of the local newspaper-sports, business, metro and even the leisure sections. The better you identify your target, the more success you will have getting coverage.
You should apply this same-targeted approach when choosing which news outlet to pitch. If your story idea involves a niche, focus your time and energy on pitching the news outlet that reaches those targeted viewers and readers. Many people make the mistake of pitching to the largest pie (the local television station or newspaper) rather than focusing on a news outlet that reaches their desired demographics. You can better shape the public’s opinion if you are reaching your specific customer. For example, let’s say you have a product that appeals to housewives. You may not be able to pitch Oprah, but you can pitch the local newscast that airs at noon. Housewives are the majority of viewers watching newscasts that air during the workday. If you are trying to get exposure for a new nightclub opening in your area, target the alternative weekly as opposed to the entertainment TV reporter. The more you understand your targeted audience, the easier it will be to identify the best news outlet to pitch.
Writing an Effective Press Release
Newspaper and television reporters should not be approached the same way when it comes to writing email press releases. The two mediums face different time constraints with their stories, and that will dictate how long or short you should make your pitch.
Let’s begin with television where white is always good. The more white space on the email news release the better. No one wants to open an email and see eight, long, single-spaced paragraphs. Your initial pitch should never have more than four paragraphs. This is a stereotype but television moves so quickly that no desk assistant, reporter, producer or news manager will take the time to read a release that resembles a novel. They might make it to the second or third paragraph, but they are not going to read three pages of single-spaced sentences.
Here is a formula that seems to work with my peers and me. Try to think of a catchy headline to put at the top of the release, then follow-up your pitch with one paragraph explaining the story. The second paragraph should tell the reporter why viewers would be interested in your idea. This might seem like a challenging task for the rookie publicist, but by applying the five W’s you will be able to narrow down the focus of the story. The third paragraph should be devoted to explaining what you bring to the table or why you are the person to tell this story. If you have more statistics, articles or research for the reporter, tell him in the email you can provide it upon request.
Why not give the reporter all of the research at once or send it as an attachment? It can be intimidating for any reporter to open an email and see several attachments because he won’t know which one to open. When time is of the essence, no one wants to waste time opening useless attachments. However, if a reporter asks for a specific request, you will know which attachment to send.
Many publicists make the mistake of trying to cram everything into one press release. The purpose of a release is to get the reporter or producer interested in the story. You are only trying to make them aware of the idea, and pique their interest. Don’t worry if the release doesn’t answer all of the questions. If it is a good story, the reporter will give you a chance to answer those questions later.
Your approach should change when pitching newspapers but you should still start with the same principles cited for pitching television: begin with a catchy headline, apply the five W’s to narrow the focus of the story, and explain why you are the person to tell the story. Your email release should be more in-depth, depending on the topic and news outlet you are pitching, but it should not exceed one page. You can add credibility to your idea by attaching recent journals or studies that support your idea, along with a paragraph that explains what knowledge the attachments will provide.
For more tips on how to pitch stories to the media, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
Establish Credibility
Establish Credibility
Credibility matters when trying to convince a reporter or producer to tackle a story. A lawyer pitching a story on corporate fraud and a teacher pitching a story on education reform will have more credibility than a retired citizen who works part-time at the public library. It is assumed the lawyer and teacher have insider knowledge or expertise to lend credibility to the topic. Likewise, a jeweler who designs jewelry will be a natural expert when it comes to design, but is he able to identify consumer trends? If you are pitching a story on jewelry trends, you need to establish credibility in this area before you start pitching. Perhaps, you have an understanding of trends as a buyer or you are intuitive to customers’ needs by observing design patterns.
You can apply this same scenario to your own business by asking yourself a few questions.
What makes you qualified to speak on this topic?
How many years of experience have you spent in the industry?
What part of your daily routine is spent reinforcing your expertise?
What do you know as an insider that others would want to know?
You may possess a limited amount of expertise, but that shouldn’t stop you from continually trying to establish more credibility. Websites, op-ed articles, trade magazines can all lend credence to a person in search of credibility. So can writing a book, blog or article for your community newspaper. Remember, the media needs experts for nearly every story because it lends credibility to their report. Even the salacious stories require insider knowledge.
When New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned from office following his involvement with prostitutes, the media was in search of a call girl who could provide insight into the sex trade. Of course, no call girl or prostitute wanted to speak. This was the perfect opportunity for the author of Confessions of a Call Girl to promote her book. If you can find a way to establish your expertise before you start pitching the story, you will have a huge advantage over others when it comes to promoting your product or service in the media.
You can read more on how to establish credibility at www.BeatthePressBook.com
Credibility matters when trying to convince a reporter or producer to tackle a story. A lawyer pitching a story on corporate fraud and a teacher pitching a story on education reform will have more credibility than a retired citizen who works part-time at the public library. It is assumed the lawyer and teacher have insider knowledge or expertise to lend credibility to the topic. Likewise, a jeweler who designs jewelry will be a natural expert when it comes to design, but is he able to identify consumer trends? If you are pitching a story on jewelry trends, you need to establish credibility in this area before you start pitching. Perhaps, you have an understanding of trends as a buyer or you are intuitive to customers’ needs by observing design patterns.
You can apply this same scenario to your own business by asking yourself a few questions.
What makes you qualified to speak on this topic?
How many years of experience have you spent in the industry?
What part of your daily routine is spent reinforcing your expertise?
What do you know as an insider that others would want to know?
You may possess a limited amount of expertise, but that shouldn’t stop you from continually trying to establish more credibility. Websites, op-ed articles, trade magazines can all lend credence to a person in search of credibility. So can writing a book, blog or article for your community newspaper. Remember, the media needs experts for nearly every story because it lends credibility to their report. Even the salacious stories require insider knowledge.
When New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned from office following his involvement with prostitutes, the media was in search of a call girl who could provide insight into the sex trade. Of course, no call girl or prostitute wanted to speak. This was the perfect opportunity for the author of Confessions of a Call Girl to promote her book. If you can find a way to establish your expertise before you start pitching the story, you will have a huge advantage over others when it comes to promoting your product or service in the media.
You can read more on how to establish credibility at www.BeatthePressBook.com
How to Get on the News
You will never be the first person to call a reporter or producer with a story idea. Every day, viewers and readers bombard the media with poorly written emails and long drawn-out voicemails requesting coverage for events that are usually not news worthy. Sadly, this dilutes the credibility for everyone else trying to pitch a legitimate news idea.
People frequently complain the media is unresponsive to their calls and emails, but there’s a reason for this discourse. It’s not that reporters and producers don’t want to listen to the public; it’s impossible to field calls from every person, especially when one rambling caller can quickly eat up 20-minutes of time. Making matters worse, it’s easier for a reporter to hit delete on your email or voicemail than to review your entire message. Unfortunately, you can never shape or influence the media’s coverage without getting over this initial hurdle of making contact.
Every journalist is constantly measuring the value of a story during that first interaction with you or your business. Most experienced journalists believe they can tell within seconds of listening to a pitch whether it is a story or not, and they are usually right. Their attention span is limited over the phone, which is why you must be concise, comprehensive and coherent with every pitch. The quickest way to lose credibility with a reporter or producer is to ramble on for several minutes before explaining what your story is about.
There are no written rules for that first encounter with a reporter or producer, but just like life, there are unwritten rules to making sense of random chaos. There are ways to navigate this media maze so your emails and phone calls don’t get lost in the shuffle. There are also better hours and days to pitch reporters when their time is less pressing and their attention is more focused. But before you even make that initial contact, you must first learn how to effectively identify, pitch and communicate a news worthy idea. Here are my Ten Commandments for First Encounters, which will help you with every media transaction. You should treat these laws as sacred acts, and abide by them with all first encounters with the media.
Commandment One- Know Why Your Story is Newsworthy
Everyone knows the best salesman is a person who believes soundly in his product and this is why you must be absolutely convinced that your story is newsworthy. If you can’t sell that story idea to yourself, no reporter or producer is going to buy it. Likewise, if you don’t understand why your story is newsworthy it is going to be difficult to persuade a reporter that your story merits coverage.
In Journalism 101, students are taught the five W’s that help them identify the value of a story. They are the: Who, What, Where, When and Why, along with the How. You can use these rudimentary bullet points to help you identify why your story is newsworthy and what is important to stress in your pitch. Let’s do a quick lesson in the five W’s so you will understand how to apply them to your pitch.
WHO: Who is this story about? Who is the character in the center of the story? If you are pitching an organization, business or nonprofit you must identify a person to revolve the story around because the best stories involve people. You will improve your chances of coverage by identifying a sympathetic character that viewers and readers can relate to. I mentioned earlier in this book an example of a grandmother who walks to a volunteer center to help new widows find love. It’s highly unlikely any established news outlet would want to do a story on a volunteer center because the story lacks focus. However once you identify a sympathetic grandmother who is trying to help widows find new love the story suddenly takes on an emotional appeal. Pitch the story in February around Valentine’s Day or Grandparents’ Day and you suddenly have a timely hook. Locate your pivotal character before you start pitching so you can tell the media you have a person lined up and ready to talk.
WHAT: What is this story about? Here is where you need to bring focus to the idea. Many people pitch stories on their businesses, but when you ask them what the story is they say, “a story on my business.” That’s equivalent to going to a movie studio and saying I want you to do a story on my life. Well, what is unique about it? What is different? What is the conflict? What is the story you want to tell? You don’t need the focus of a professional journalist but you should definitely have a keen understanding of what the story will center around. For example, if you are pitching a clothing store, you need to identify what the story is behind the clothes. Perhaps, there is a young designer who is launching a clothing line with your business or maybe the new spring collection will have colors that are not traditional by nature. By identifying the “What” you will have an edge in pitching the story because your idea will be more focused.
WHERE: This should be one of the easier W’s to identify. Where is this story taking place? Does the location have any value or importance in the community? A diner in Iowa has little national news value, unless it is a Presidential election year when all of the candidates are pressing the flesh with patrons over ham and eggs. That pushes the diner to newsworthy importance, but if you include a character – perhaps a single, young, working waitress who has no health insurance— suddenly the story starts taking shape. Maybe your business doesn’t have any historical value, but it is an element you must examine before pitching the media. Take a moment to examine your entire surroundings before pitching the story because you might uncover something that increases the value of the story idea.
WHEN: Does your story have any timely components? Will your story take place on a single night or day? Is your story relevant at a certain time of the month? All of these questions could make your story timely, which will increase the value of your story.
Many museums offer wine and cheese at their summer evening events. That in itself is not usual, however if one night is devoted to raising money for charity or an evening is targeted towards singles, the event suddenly takes on a unique angle. If you are trying to get publicity for an organization like a museum, you might want to consider turning one night into a special event. The television stations might not be interested in the story, but the Arts & Leisure section of the local newspaper will be more receptive. In many situations, the “When” factor increases the value of a news story because the story suddenly appears rare, timely and new.
When I worked for NBC in Miami, singer Ricky Martin appeared at a music store, signing autographs for his new album. The music store didn’t have a chance of getting coverage on any other day, but with a popular celebrity appearing for one afternoon inside his store, the manager was able to convince local television stations and newspapers to do a story on the popularity of this singing sensation. Force yourself to think differently. Try to find a new way to make your story appear rare by adding a timely element.
WHY: Why should anyone care about your story? Why is this story happening? Why are people coming to your event or why are people buying your product or service? The “Why” question is the last W to ask yourself because it could be the deciding factor that determines whether your story is pursued or killed. It is probably the most important factor when deciding news. No producer or reporter will dare pitch a story that no one cares about, which is why you must identify in advance why people will care about your story idea and why they will have an emotional attachment. Once you identify why your story is important to the public, you have focused your pitch down to the core and uncovered why your story is news worthy.
HOW: Not every story has a “how” factor, but it is still important to ask yourself this question. How is your story, business, service or product changing lives? How are you helping people? How will your business or product save people money or better their lives? If you can’t answer this question off the top of your head, ask yourself “how” then look around your business and start focusing on the main components that sets your business a part from the competition.
By learning the five W’s and the one H you are essentially focusing the story down to its root. The more you narrow down the story, the easier it will be for you to identify the right targeted news outlet for your story. Perhaps you are pitching the wrong medium or reporter. If you pitch the story to the wrong news outlet, producer or reporter you are setting yourself up for failure when it comes to managing the message. You want to eliminate as many obstacles as possible that will get in the way of killing your story. By asking these questions in advance you will not only learn more about your story, but you might also uncover a better story that will help reinforce the message you want to project.
To learn more about getting yourself in the news, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
People frequently complain the media is unresponsive to their calls and emails, but there’s a reason for this discourse. It’s not that reporters and producers don’t want to listen to the public; it’s impossible to field calls from every person, especially when one rambling caller can quickly eat up 20-minutes of time. Making matters worse, it’s easier for a reporter to hit delete on your email or voicemail than to review your entire message. Unfortunately, you can never shape or influence the media’s coverage without getting over this initial hurdle of making contact.
Every journalist is constantly measuring the value of a story during that first interaction with you or your business. Most experienced journalists believe they can tell within seconds of listening to a pitch whether it is a story or not, and they are usually right. Their attention span is limited over the phone, which is why you must be concise, comprehensive and coherent with every pitch. The quickest way to lose credibility with a reporter or producer is to ramble on for several minutes before explaining what your story is about.
There are no written rules for that first encounter with a reporter or producer, but just like life, there are unwritten rules to making sense of random chaos. There are ways to navigate this media maze so your emails and phone calls don’t get lost in the shuffle. There are also better hours and days to pitch reporters when their time is less pressing and their attention is more focused. But before you even make that initial contact, you must first learn how to effectively identify, pitch and communicate a news worthy idea. Here are my Ten Commandments for First Encounters, which will help you with every media transaction. You should treat these laws as sacred acts, and abide by them with all first encounters with the media.
Commandment One- Know Why Your Story is Newsworthy
Everyone knows the best salesman is a person who believes soundly in his product and this is why you must be absolutely convinced that your story is newsworthy. If you can’t sell that story idea to yourself, no reporter or producer is going to buy it. Likewise, if you don’t understand why your story is newsworthy it is going to be difficult to persuade a reporter that your story merits coverage.
In Journalism 101, students are taught the five W’s that help them identify the value of a story. They are the: Who, What, Where, When and Why, along with the How. You can use these rudimentary bullet points to help you identify why your story is newsworthy and what is important to stress in your pitch. Let’s do a quick lesson in the five W’s so you will understand how to apply them to your pitch.
WHO: Who is this story about? Who is the character in the center of the story? If you are pitching an organization, business or nonprofit you must identify a person to revolve the story around because the best stories involve people. You will improve your chances of coverage by identifying a sympathetic character that viewers and readers can relate to. I mentioned earlier in this book an example of a grandmother who walks to a volunteer center to help new widows find love. It’s highly unlikely any established news outlet would want to do a story on a volunteer center because the story lacks focus. However once you identify a sympathetic grandmother who is trying to help widows find new love the story suddenly takes on an emotional appeal. Pitch the story in February around Valentine’s Day or Grandparents’ Day and you suddenly have a timely hook. Locate your pivotal character before you start pitching so you can tell the media you have a person lined up and ready to talk.
WHAT: What is this story about? Here is where you need to bring focus to the idea. Many people pitch stories on their businesses, but when you ask them what the story is they say, “a story on my business.” That’s equivalent to going to a movie studio and saying I want you to do a story on my life. Well, what is unique about it? What is different? What is the conflict? What is the story you want to tell? You don’t need the focus of a professional journalist but you should definitely have a keen understanding of what the story will center around. For example, if you are pitching a clothing store, you need to identify what the story is behind the clothes. Perhaps, there is a young designer who is launching a clothing line with your business or maybe the new spring collection will have colors that are not traditional by nature. By identifying the “What” you will have an edge in pitching the story because your idea will be more focused.
WHERE: This should be one of the easier W’s to identify. Where is this story taking place? Does the location have any value or importance in the community? A diner in Iowa has little national news value, unless it is a Presidential election year when all of the candidates are pressing the flesh with patrons over ham and eggs. That pushes the diner to newsworthy importance, but if you include a character – perhaps a single, young, working waitress who has no health insurance— suddenly the story starts taking shape. Maybe your business doesn’t have any historical value, but it is an element you must examine before pitching the media. Take a moment to examine your entire surroundings before pitching the story because you might uncover something that increases the value of the story idea.
WHEN: Does your story have any timely components? Will your story take place on a single night or day? Is your story relevant at a certain time of the month? All of these questions could make your story timely, which will increase the value of your story.
Many museums offer wine and cheese at their summer evening events. That in itself is not usual, however if one night is devoted to raising money for charity or an evening is targeted towards singles, the event suddenly takes on a unique angle. If you are trying to get publicity for an organization like a museum, you might want to consider turning one night into a special event. The television stations might not be interested in the story, but the Arts & Leisure section of the local newspaper will be more receptive. In many situations, the “When” factor increases the value of a news story because the story suddenly appears rare, timely and new.
When I worked for NBC in Miami, singer Ricky Martin appeared at a music store, signing autographs for his new album. The music store didn’t have a chance of getting coverage on any other day, but with a popular celebrity appearing for one afternoon inside his store, the manager was able to convince local television stations and newspapers to do a story on the popularity of this singing sensation. Force yourself to think differently. Try to find a new way to make your story appear rare by adding a timely element.
WHY: Why should anyone care about your story? Why is this story happening? Why are people coming to your event or why are people buying your product or service? The “Why” question is the last W to ask yourself because it could be the deciding factor that determines whether your story is pursued or killed. It is probably the most important factor when deciding news. No producer or reporter will dare pitch a story that no one cares about, which is why you must identify in advance why people will care about your story idea and why they will have an emotional attachment. Once you identify why your story is important to the public, you have focused your pitch down to the core and uncovered why your story is news worthy.
HOW: Not every story has a “how” factor, but it is still important to ask yourself this question. How is your story, business, service or product changing lives? How are you helping people? How will your business or product save people money or better their lives? If you can’t answer this question off the top of your head, ask yourself “how” then look around your business and start focusing on the main components that sets your business a part from the competition.
By learning the five W’s and the one H you are essentially focusing the story down to its root. The more you narrow down the story, the easier it will be for you to identify the right targeted news outlet for your story. Perhaps you are pitching the wrong medium or reporter. If you pitch the story to the wrong news outlet, producer or reporter you are setting yourself up for failure when it comes to managing the message. You want to eliminate as many obstacles as possible that will get in the way of killing your story. By asking these questions in advance you will not only learn more about your story, but you might also uncover a better story that will help reinforce the message you want to project.
To learn more about getting yourself in the news, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com
How to Get Yourself on the News
It's the one question every person wants to know. How do the news producers and newspaper editors decide what to print and publish? Most people ask this question like there is a magical formula that scientifically reveals whether a story should be pursed or scrapped. If it were this easy to identify news stories, you can bet the formula would have been hacked and posted on the Internet by now. The fact is news selection is an art and just like any other profession involving creativity, opinions and experiences, it is subjective to where you stand.
If you want a story written about you or your business, you need to first identify what is different, new or unique about your story. News is based on the root "new," which is something no publicist should ever forget. Are you helping underprivileged children in a way that others are ignoring? Is your business contributing to the local community in a unique way we might not expect? Are you about to accomplish a feat where others have failed?
The more you can clarify and focus your pitch, the better odds you will have of getting your story idea approved by the news organization. You can help discover your newsworthy element by asking yourself the following questions:
* What is different about my business?
* How does my business help the public and why is that service unique?
* Is there something timely about my business or product?
* Is there a personal story to tell about my business, like maybe a grandfather is passing the 75-year-old family business onto his grandchildren in a public ceremony? Or maybe the owner is battling cancer and running the business at the same time.
* Is there a new trend arising in my business field that will affect the pocket books of consumers? For example, is the rising cost of wheat starting to put a damper on profits for bagel shop or Italian restaurant owners? Will my business soon be forced to raise prices on the menus because the price of wheat keeps rising?
* Have any trade organizations recognized my business as a leader in innovation that will help shape the future? If so, what is that innovation and how will it change lives?
Finding a unique angle is not as difficult as it may sound. You just need to open your mind to timely events that impact and influence sales of your product or service. If you own a fashion or jewelry store, try to link your product to high-profile events like the Academy Awards or the Grammy Awards. If your business is geared towards a niche audience, like traveling business executives, scan the headlines in the business sections of various newspapers for possible tie-ins to current events.
Not properly defining the story is one of the biggest mistakes most publicists make. Your success on pitching depends greatly on how well you define that story because in many cases, you may only get one shot at pitching your story idea. You can focus your story by understanding and applying the five W's (Who, What, When, Where, Why and How).
Who is this story about? Who is the character in the center of the story? If you are pitching an organization, business or nonprofit you must identify a person to revolve the story around because the best stories involve people. You will improve your chances of coverage by identifying a sympathetic character that viewers and readers can relate to.
What is this story about? What is unique about it? What is different? What is the conflict? What is the story you want to tell? By identifying the "What" you will have an edge in pitching the story because your story idea will be more focused.
Where is this story taking place? Does the location have any value or importance in the community? A diner in Iowa has little national news value, unless it is a Presidential election year when all of the candidates are pressing the flesh with patrons over ham and eggs. Take a moment to examine your entire surroundings before pitching the story because you might uncover something that increases the value of the story idea.
When does your story take place? Does it have any timely components? Will your story take place on a single night or day? Is your story relevant at a certain time of the month? All of these questions could make your story timely, which will increase the value of your story.
Why should anyone care about your story? Why is this story happening? Why are people coming to your event or why are people buying your product or service? Once you identify why your story is important to the public, you have focused your pitch down to the core and uncovered why your story is news worthy.
How is your story, business, service or product changing lives? How are you helping people? How will your business or product save people money or better their lives? Not every story has a "how" factor, but it is still important to ask yourself this question.
The more you understand the definition and value of "newsworthy" the better chance you will have of getting media coverage for you or your business. And once you are successfully pitching story ideas, you are better able to shape the message and spin the media into your favor.
You can read more chapter excerpts on how to pitch the media at www.BeatthePressBook.com. Mark Macias is a journalist working and living in New York City.
If you want a story written about you or your business, you need to first identify what is different, new or unique about your story. News is based on the root "new," which is something no publicist should ever forget. Are you helping underprivileged children in a way that others are ignoring? Is your business contributing to the local community in a unique way we might not expect? Are you about to accomplish a feat where others have failed?
The more you can clarify and focus your pitch, the better odds you will have of getting your story idea approved by the news organization. You can help discover your newsworthy element by asking yourself the following questions:
* What is different about my business?
* How does my business help the public and why is that service unique?
* Is there something timely about my business or product?
* Is there a personal story to tell about my business, like maybe a grandfather is passing the 75-year-old family business onto his grandchildren in a public ceremony? Or maybe the owner is battling cancer and running the business at the same time.
* Is there a new trend arising in my business field that will affect the pocket books of consumers? For example, is the rising cost of wheat starting to put a damper on profits for bagel shop or Italian restaurant owners? Will my business soon be forced to raise prices on the menus because the price of wheat keeps rising?
* Have any trade organizations recognized my business as a leader in innovation that will help shape the future? If so, what is that innovation and how will it change lives?
Finding a unique angle is not as difficult as it may sound. You just need to open your mind to timely events that impact and influence sales of your product or service. If you own a fashion or jewelry store, try to link your product to high-profile events like the Academy Awards or the Grammy Awards. If your business is geared towards a niche audience, like traveling business executives, scan the headlines in the business sections of various newspapers for possible tie-ins to current events.
Not properly defining the story is one of the biggest mistakes most publicists make. Your success on pitching depends greatly on how well you define that story because in many cases, you may only get one shot at pitching your story idea. You can focus your story by understanding and applying the five W's (Who, What, When, Where, Why and How).
Who is this story about? Who is the character in the center of the story? If you are pitching an organization, business or nonprofit you must identify a person to revolve the story around because the best stories involve people. You will improve your chances of coverage by identifying a sympathetic character that viewers and readers can relate to.
What is this story about? What is unique about it? What is different? What is the conflict? What is the story you want to tell? By identifying the "What" you will have an edge in pitching the story because your story idea will be more focused.
Where is this story taking place? Does the location have any value or importance in the community? A diner in Iowa has little national news value, unless it is a Presidential election year when all of the candidates are pressing the flesh with patrons over ham and eggs. Take a moment to examine your entire surroundings before pitching the story because you might uncover something that increases the value of the story idea.
When does your story take place? Does it have any timely components? Will your story take place on a single night or day? Is your story relevant at a certain time of the month? All of these questions could make your story timely, which will increase the value of your story.
Why should anyone care about your story? Why is this story happening? Why are people coming to your event or why are people buying your product or service? Once you identify why your story is important to the public, you have focused your pitch down to the core and uncovered why your story is news worthy.
How is your story, business, service or product changing lives? How are you helping people? How will your business or product save people money or better their lives? Not every story has a "how" factor, but it is still important to ask yourself this question.
The more you understand the definition and value of "newsworthy" the better chance you will have of getting media coverage for you or your business. And once you are successfully pitching story ideas, you are better able to shape the message and spin the media into your favor.
You can read more chapter excerpts on how to pitch the media at www.BeatthePressBook.com. Mark Macias is a journalist working and living in New York City.
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